Sermons Volume 4, Sermons on Titus · Sermon 15
SERMON XV.
TITUS II.13.
—That blessed Hope, &c.
Vse 1. FOR Information, in seven Particulars.
1. That the Children of God are not so miserable as they appear, they have other Hopes and Enjoyments than are seen, a large Estate that lies in an invisible Country; it is not Terra incognita, a Land unknown, but it is a Land unseen. Pearls and precious things lie out of sight; so doth the Glory and Blessedness of a Christian. Our Happiness is a Mystery to a carnal Heart, it lieth in another World; 1 Iohn 3.2. It doth not ye… appear what we shall be. Here we have a Right, but the Children of God are subject to the Chances and Accidents of the present World as well as others. Our Happiness is only to be seen with a spiritual Eye, and with spiritual Light; Ephes. 1.18. The Eyes of your Vnderstanding being opened, that ye may know what is the Hope of your Calling, and what the Riches of the Glory of his Inheritance in the Saints. However Christians seem in the Eye of the World, mean, afflicted, despicable, yet they are blessed Creatures. Look as Beasts know not the Excellency of a Man, so carnal Men know not the Excellency of the Saints. The Whore of Babylon, the corrupt Church, is set out in her glorious Out-side, with a Golden Cup; so carnal Men (saith the Apostle) make a fair shew in the Flesh, Gal▪ 6.12. (that is) excel in Pomp and Worldly Splendor: but a Christian's Glory and Blessedness is under a Vail and Disguise, which shall not be fully taken off till the Day of Judgment; Col. 3.3, 4. Your Life is hid with Christ in God: When Christ, who is our Life, shall appear, then shall we also appear with him in Glory. Look as in a Dark-lanthorn the Light is hid; till the Cover be removed, little of the brightness of the Light is seen: So there is an Eclipse upon the Christian's Glory, now it is covered and vailed; and therefore now the Christian passeth under Censures and Reproaches: thus was Christ in the World, and we must be like him; but then all shall be discovered. A Garden and a Field differ little in Winter; so doth a Christian and other Men, till the great Imperial Day of Christ, then shall we put on our best Robes. Yea, this Happiness in a great part is hidden from our selves. If we hearken to Sense and present Experience, there is not such a miserable sort of People in the World as God's dearest Servants are: 1 Cor. 15.19. If in this Life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all Men most miserable. It is true, by the Perspective of Faith, we may have a glimpse now and then. Holy Meditation strikes out and opens a Window into the New Ierusalem, and we have some sight of it. A young Heir doth not know the Particulars of his Estate, neither do we exactly know the Happiness of our Portion and Inheritance in Light.
2. It informs us what Cause we have, not only to be patient, but to be thankful during the time of our Pilgrimage here, while we are liable to Sin and Sorrow; we may bless God afore-hand. That's one Reason why God hath revealed these things before we came to enjoy them, that we may give Thanks for our Hopes. Abraham when he had only a Grant and a Promise of Canaan, not a Foot of Land actually possest, there he built an Altar, and offered Sacrifice and Praise, Gen. 13.17, 18. So this is one Effect of the certainty of Faith, it beginneth the Life and Work of Heaven, and can praise God before enjoyment. Though we be subject to Sin and Misery here, yet in despight of Sense, Faith will praise God, and rejoice in him before we enjoy him. Thus the Apostle blesseth God for his Hopes, 1 Pet. 1.3, 4. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, which according to his abundant Mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively Hope, by the Resurrection of Iesus Christ from the Dead, unto an Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in Heaven for you. Certainly we may bless God, where God blesseth us; our Blessing is but the Eccho of his: Ephes. 1.3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual Blessings in heavenly places in Christ. And therefore we have cause to bless him for our Hopes as well as our Enjoyments, for the best of our Portion is to come: therefore whenever we think of Eternity, we should presently fall a blessing of God, however it be with us for the present.
To this end let me shew you how much we expect, and how much we are engaged to every Person of the God-head.
1st. How much we do expect. There is freedom from Eternal Torments, and possession of Eternal Glory: 2 Thess. 1.10. Even Iesus, who hath delivered us from VVrath to come. Wrath present, is nothing to Wrath to come. Now God manageth all things by Creatures, and no Creature is sufficient to manifest all God's Wrath. Those Everlasting Flames that are the Portion of the Damned, this is that from which we are delivered. We tremble at the Name of Hell; what should we do at the sense of those Torments that are without End and Ease? The Gripes of Conscience for an Hour, how terrible are they? Then what is it to lie under the Wrath of God for ever and ever? We were involved in the same Guilt, in the same polluted Mass with others; therefore we might be bound up in the same Bundle, to be cast into Hell as well as they. Why are we taken, and others left to perish? O bless God for this, that we are as Brands pluck'd out of the Burning; we are bound up in the same Guilt and Misery; Zech. 3.2. Is not this a Brand pluck'd out of the Fire? Though you feel the smart of the Rod upon your Backs, remember this is nothing to Hell, Damnation, and Wrath to come: And this is given to prevent that, 1 Cor. 11.32. VVhen we are judged, we are chastned of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the VVorld. What cause have we to bless God, that we may think of Hell as a Danger that we have escaped by Christ? But then for Heaven, the positive part of this Blessedness, you have a Right, tho not an actual Enjoyment. Sometimes Heaven is said to be kept for us, and sometimes we are said to be kept for Heaven; 1 Pet. 1.5. VVho are kept by the Power of God through Faith unto Salvation. Christ holds Heaven in our Right, in our Stead, and in our Names; and we are kept by the Power of God for Heaven. Again, Heaven is prepared for us, Matth. 25.34. Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit a Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the VVorld. And we are prepared for Heaven: Rom. 9.23. And that he might make known the Riches of his Glory on the Vessels of Mercy, which he had afore prepared unto Glory.
2dly. The greatness of your Engagement to all the Persons of the God-head.
(1.) To God the Father. Admire the Love of God, that poor Worms should be so exalted; that a Clod of Earth should shine as the Sun; that those dark and impure Souls of ours should be purified and glorified. God could not satisfy himself with temporal Kindness, with loving us for a while, but he must love us for ever; Psal. 103.17. The Mercy of the Lord is from Everlasting to Everlasting, to them that fear him. From Eternity to Eternity, God is God, and our God. Nay, and small things would not content him, but we must be interessed in a compleat Blessedness. 1 John 3.1, 2. Behold, what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the Sons of God! Beloved, now are we the Sons of God, but it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know, that when he shall apappear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. O we should often work this upon our Hearts, the great Love of God in predestinating us to such a Glory. There is a great deal of Mercy laid out upon us during our Pilgrimage, but more laid up for us: Psal. 31.19. O how great is thy Goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee! O the greatness of Love! Infinite Mercy sets it self a-work, to see what it can do for Man, a poor wretched Creature, a thing of Yesterday, a Rebel, an Enemy to God: think of it we may, but we cannot express it to the full. The least of God's Mercies is more than we can acknowledg, and deserves praise; much more this full Portion, for here God sets himself to make a Creature as happy as it is capable. The Lord hath gone to the utmost in nothing but his Love; he never shewed so much of his Wisdom and Power, but he could shew more; but he hath no greater thing to give us than Himself, and his Christ, he cannot love us more; there can be no more done, there can be no higher Happiness, than the eternal enjoyment of Himself: All the Promises of the Word comes short of what you shall enjoy. That which Paul saw and heard in Heaven in his Extasy, were foreign, Words that could not be uttered, 2 Cor. 12.4. The Scriptures that are sufficient to make the Man of God perfect here, profess an Insufficiency, Weakness and Imperfection, when they come to speak of Heaven, and the Glory of it; 1 Cor. 13.9. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part, is spoken with respect to Heaven and Happiness to come; there the Scripture can speak but in part, there are no Words nor Notions in the World sufficient to express what God hath provided; and we have not Ears to hear it. All the Notions now we have of things, must be taken from what is obvious to sense, and present apprehension; and therefore certainly, because Heaven surpasseth all that hath been, we cannot apprehend the Glory of it. The Scripture leaves it rather to be admired in silence; there are Joys unspeakable; there is no Language intelligible to us that is fit to represent Heaven. O then admire the Love of God the Father, that hath provided such great things for us.
2. Consider how deeply we are engaged to Jesus Christ, to deliver us from Wrath to come: He himself was made a Curse, and tasted the Vinegar and Gall; Gal. 3.13. Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law, being made a Curse for us. Something he suffered that answered Wrath to come. In Hell there is poena damni, and poena sensus, the Loss, and the Pain and Sense of God's Wrath. The Lord Christ had for a while the suspension of the Joys and actual Consolation of his Divine Nature, a loss that cannot be imagined: Mat. 23.46. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? there's his Loss. Then he had an actual feeling of the Wrath of God; therefore he saith, Mat. 27.38. My Soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto Death; there was his Sense of Pain. He was forsaken, that we might not be separated from God for ever; and his Soul was heavy to the Death, that we might not be cast into Eternal Burnings. Then for the positive Part, that we might have Everlasting Glory, Christ left his Heaven, that we might enjoy ours: he came from Heaven, and is gone to Heaven again, and will come from Heaven the second time, and all to bring us thither with the more triumph; so that going and coming, coming and going, he is still ours. He came at first out of the Bosom of God, to establish the Merit, and pay the Price for our Glory. God sold it not at an easy Rate; the Blood, and Agonies, and Shame of the Son of God, must go for our Glory: it was no easy matter to bring sinful Creatures so near to God. The Lord would not so much as treat with Apostate Angels; when once they were Sinners, they were no more to remain in his Presence, nor to come near him, but they were cast out of Heaven. The Door was shut against sinning Creatures, but Christ came to open it. Christ came to open Paradise, that was guarded with a flaming Sword; he catched the Blow, that we might have Communion with God, and therefore he sueth it out as the Fruit of his Sufferings. When Christ was about to die, he made his last Will and Testament. Heaven was his by Purchase, to bestow upon all his Heirs. He had bought it at a dear Rate, therefore now he shews what he would do with it; Iohn 17.24. Father, I will that those whom thou hast given me, may be where I am, that they may behold my Glory. And then he is gone to Heaven again as our Harbinger, to prepare a Place for us; Ioh. 14.2. I go to prepare a Place for you, to take up Mansions and Rooms for us in his Father's Palace. He is gone as a Guardian or Feoffee in trust, to seize upon Heaven in our Right, to keep it during our Non-age, and he will come again in Person, as the Husband of the Church, to bring us into his Father's House with Triumph: therefore it is said, Rev. 4.10. That the Elders did cast their Crowns before the Throne, not as despising their Glory, but as professing their Homage and Dependance; and Rev. 5.8, 9. The four Beasts, and four and twenty Elders, fell down before the Lamb, &c. saying, Thou art worthy to take the Book, and to open the Seals thereof; for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy Blood. His Abasement was for our Preferment; and therefore even here upon Earth may we bless God (for the Elders represent the Church upon Earth) for his great Mercy to us in Christ.
(3.) Consider how much we are engaged to God the Spirit, who fits and prepares us for this happy State, and seals up our Interest to us; therefore it is called the Earnest of the Spirit: Now he that hath wrought us for the self-same thing, is God, who also hath given to us the Earnest of the Spirit, 2 Cor. 5.5. The Holy Ghost shapes and fashions all the Vessels of Glory, fits and prepares them for Heaven. It is the Spirit of God dwelling in us, that wrought us, and fits us for this great and blessed Hope: therefore when-ever you think of it, your Hearts should be raised in Thanksgiving. It is not only their Duty to praise God, that are in actual possession of Glory, but ours also to whom these Hopes are revealed. Rev. 5.8. There was a mixture of Harps, and Vials full of Odours, which are the Prayers of all Saints. Compare this with Vers. 11. And I beheld, and heard the Voice of many Angels round about the Throne, and the Beasts and Elders. Not only Angels, and blessed Spirits, but Saints on Earth, all join in Consort, praising the Lamb. We must praise the Lord in the time of our Pilgrimage, for this great Estate reserved for us in Heaven.
3. It informs us, how desperately wicked the Hearts of sinful Men are, that can run the hazard of eternal Death, and forfeit this blessed Hope of eternal Life, for a little carnal Satisfaction. Survey all the Temptations of the World, how much they come short of it. If the Heart were not desperately wicked, we would not be carried out to these things. What is Vain Glory to Eternal Glory? What are a few dreggy Delights, to those Pleasures which are at God's right Hand for evermore? What are the Riches of the World, to our glorious Inheritance? You would count him a mad Gamester, that would throw away whole Lordships and Mannors at every Cast. A Sinner forfeits a blessed Hope, that is above all the Kingdoms and Possessions of the World. It is for this you will be the Scorn of Angels at the last Day: Psal. 52.7. Lo, this is the Man that made not God his Strength, but trusted in the abundance of his Riches, and strengthned himself in his Wickedness. This will make you ashamed in the great Congregation, that you were so foolishly bent to your own Ruin: Nay, this will torment you for ever; nothing torments Men more, than their foolish Choice; Conscience will for ever tell them, with what disadvantage they have forsaken God for a thing of nought. Disappointment to a reasonable Creature, is the worst vexation; and what Disappointment is more, than to be disappointed of our glorious Hopes, and that for Trifles, and a little carnal Satisfaction? This will be our Shame and Torment to all Eternity. We may guess at the gnawings of Conscience in the Damned, by the Horrors of carnal Men when they come to die: O then how do they bewail the Folly of their Choice! O that they had been as mindful to serve God, as to provide for the World! as careful to satisfy the Motions of the Holy Ghost, as to satisfy a Lust and carnal Desire! When they are on a Death-bed, and upon the Confines of Eternity, then all worldly Comforts cease; and there is a real confutation of the folly of their Choice, a Sting then begins that never ceaseth. Jer. 17.11. — At his End he shall be a Fool. When he comes to die, his Conscience will rage and call him Fool, Beast, and Madman, for hazarding such eternal Joys for a Trifle.
4. It informs us of the Excellency of the Gospel, or Christian Profession. Wisdom should be justified by her Children. And all that do profess Religion, should see the Excellency of it, what there is in their Beloved, more than in another Beloved, Cant. 5.9. This there is in the Christian Religion; there are purity of Precepts; Psal. 19.7, 8. The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting the Soul▪ the Testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the Simple. The Statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the Heart; the Commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightning the Eyes. Then there is sureness of Principles, of Trust and Dependance established between us and God, that we may depend upon God with Comfort and Satisfaction; there do you find rest for the Soul, Ier. 6.16. Stand ye in the Ways and see, and ask for the old Paths, where is the good Way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your Souls. Then there are no such Rewards any where, as in the Christian Profession; 2 Tim. 1.10. Life and Immortality are brought to Light by the Gospel. The Heathens had Dreams of Elizium Fields; and Mahomet tells his Followers of a sensual Paradise; but Life and Immortality is a Revelation proper and peculiar only to the Gospel. The Heathens were at a loss for the Reward of Vertue: Austin out of Varro gives us an account of 288 Opinions concerning Happiness, and the chief Good of Man: but now here is all brought to Light; we may look beyond the Grave now, and there is not such a Mist and Darkness upon Things to come, God having acquainted us with the Gospel. Nay, there's more revealed than was in the time of the Law. If God had still kept this Secret in his own Bosom, what a Support should we have wanted in our Trouble, what Encouragement to the practice of Holiness? O therefore prize the Gospel, it is the Charter of your blessed Hope.
5. It informs us what little cause we have to be slack in God's Work, or to begrudg the pains of his Service; 1 Cor. 15.58. Be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the Work of the Lord, for asmuch as ye know that your Labour will not be in vain in the Lord. The Children of God are wont to think they can never do enough for God, that hath found out such a Reward for them in Christ. A thousand Years Service will not deserve one hour's Enjoyment of this blessed Hope, much less eternal Happiness. When we come to see what shall be bestowed upon us, we shall be ashamed that we have done no more Work for God, having so much Wages, and such excellent Encouragement. Mat. 25.37. the Saints are brought in there, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee Drink? being ashamed. Ah Lord! this is nothing; What have we done? At the Day of Judgment there will be the highest Exaltation of the Saints, and yet the lowest Self-abasement; they will wonder even to admiration of Angels. There will be Christ's owning them, and they disclaiming their own Services, and all their Works, and Christ rewarding them. And therefore grudg not if you have the strictest Precepts of any Religion, remember you have the noblest and highest Reward.
6. It informs us, what cause we have to contemn all earthly things, tho they be never so great and glorious, because of this blessed Hope. There are two Considerations that will make us contemn the World, and they are suted to the two essential Parts of Man; and we should ever think of them. We carry about us a mortal Body, and an immortal Soul; the Body lasts but for a while, and the Soul survives and out-lives the Body's Happiness. Now we toil our selves in gathering Sticks to our Nest, when to morrow we must be gone. Alas! here we dwell in Houses of Clay, whose Foundation is in the Dust, which are crushed before the Moth, Job 4.19. Our Estate in this World is represented by a Tabernacle, which is a moveable Habitation; but our Estate in Heaven is represented by a Temple. Here it is but a Tabernacle, and that of Clay, that will be crumbled into Dust; nay, we are said to be crush'd before the Moth, and a Moth is but a little enlivened Dust, and so is Man. The World is but a House of Potters Vessels, that will be soon broken; And shall we for the Conveniences of a Temporal Life, prejudice, and run the hazard and loss of our Eternal Hopes? Shall we injure the Soul, to gratify the Body? that is the way to destroy both for ever. Our great care should be for that Place where we live longest: in the other World we have the longest Life, and the most glorious Possession; therefore our great Care should be for that.
7. It informs us what little cause we have to envy carnal Men; the Hope of your Profession is a blessed Hope. This was David's Preservative, he was daily in danger of his Life, and his Enemies were fat, and shining in the Pomp of the World; and how doth he comfort himself? Psal. 17.15. When I awake, I shall be satisfied with thy Likeness: as if he had said, Alas, their Felicity is but a sorry thing; they are filled, and I shall be filled too. David sums up their Happiness under two Heads. Whatever here we have, it is either for personal Use, or for our Posterity. A worldly State is only valuable upon these two Grounds, what we may use for the present, and what we may transmit to our Children. Now what a sorry Happiness is this to what I expect? (1.) For personal Use; ver. 14. Their Bellies are filled with thy hid Treasure; that is, with the rarest Dishes, and best Meats which God's Store-house doth afford. By hidden Treasures, is meant Food and other worldly Comforts, therefore called hidden Treasures, because it doth not lie within every one's grasp and reach, they are not vulgar and common Delights. The meaner sort their Hand will not attain to it: Lo, here is all that which God allows them for their Portion, the filling of the Belly; and alas, this is but the Happiness of Beasts, who eat with less remorse: yet all their Happiness is to fill their Belly with better Food than the poorer sort; which indeed is a Misery rather than a Happiness: for what doth this but nourish sensual Lusts, and strengthen and hearten our Enemy? And gorgeous Apparel is but a Supply from Creatures beneath us; it is but Stercus in volutum, Dung neatly wrapp'd up: here's the Sum of all a Carnal Man's Happiness, that which God allows him for his Portion. But a Christian hath better Fare; if he goes into the Sanctuary, there's enough; but if he goes into Heaven, there's a great deal more. David defeats the Temptation by this, Psal. 73.16, 17. When I sought to know this, it was too hard for me; until I went into the Sanctuary of God, to enjoy God in his Ordinances, and the present Glimpses of God's Face. Present Communion with God is far to be preferred above all the Dainties in the World. But that is not all, we shall be satisfied for ever. We may go into Heaven as well as into the Sanctuary, and behold God's Righteousness: When I awake, that is, out of the Dust, I shall be satisfied with thy Likeness. A Child of God hath his Content and Happiness to the full, when he comes to die. A carnal Man his Back hath been richly clothed, and Belly filled; but when he comes to die, he hath a sad Doom; Son, remember thou in thy Life-time receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus his evil things; but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented, Luke 16.25. was said to Dives, who fared deliciously every day, and was clothed in Purple and fine Linen: Well, you have your Portion, and must look for no more, you give God a discharge for ought else. But for God's Children, then their Happiness begins, they are going down to sleep in the Grave; and when they awake, they shall be filled: they have not only God's Favour here, but Eternal Felicity hereafter. They that are called to a Feast, will not fill themselves at home with courser Fare. The rich Glutton who had his Belly full of hid Treasure here, was shut out; but Lazarus is carried into Abraham's Bosom, and feasted there: for this was their Table-gesture to lie in one another's Bosoms. Christians, reserve your Appetite a little, you will be satisfied; it is but staying a little longer for a better Meal. We expect to be like Angels, let others be like Beasts, whose Happiness lieth in feeding. (2.) Then for the other part, the transmission of Honour and ample Revenues to Posterity. It is true, Man is much carried out this way, he would fain advance his House, and live gloriously in his Posterity. Posterity is a shadow of Eternity; Children are but the Father multiplied; when the Father's Thread is spun out, then the Knot is knit; his Name and Memory is continued in the World by his Children: therefore Men would live in their Posterity, and have their Families great. But this is a sad Exchange, to forfeit Heaven, that our Children may enjoy the World; as many times it falls out that the Father goes to Hell for getting an Estate, and the Son goes to Hell for spending it: Tho they have an ample Patrimony, yet they know not who shall enjoy it; Who knows whether he shall be a wise Man or a Fool? Eccles. 2.19. A Man hath no knowledg of future Events, nor no power of them. So that you see still, we have no cause to envy worldly Men even in this Happiness. We are better provided for, having a Covenant-Interest that countervails all, I am thy God, and the God of thy Seed. Tho we cannot leave them Gold, Land, and ample Estate, yet you leave them a God in Covenant, who hath undertaken for you and yours. And many times they have Temporal Blessings for their Father's sake, the Blessings of Ishmael, if not of Isaac.
Vse 2. Direction, that we may not seek Blessedness elsewhere. Some seek it in a wrong way. Carnal Men think that there is no such Happiness as in letting loose the Reins to carnal Lusts, and living as they list. This is the basest Bondage that can be; 2 Pet. 2.19. While they promise them Liberty, they themselves are the Servants of Corruption: for of whom a Man is overcome, of the same is he brought into bondage. The Work is Drudgery, and the Reward is Death; they are intangled in Snares, and held in Chains; and is this an happy Life? This doth but increase our Misery, and make way for more Shame. Yet carnal Men are much taken with this kind of Life, they wonder how Men can abjure the Pleasure and Contentment which they fancy; 1 Pet. 4.4. Wherein they think it strange, that you run not with them to the same excess of Riot. They think themselves very wise in following the Counsels of their own Hearts, and doing as others do that are like themselves. You do but make your selves more responsible to God's Justice. Worldly Comforts cannot make us happy, it appeareth by our many Inventions; Eccles. 7.29. God made Man upright, but he hath sought out many Inventions. Every Sinner hath his wandrings; Man being off from God, never cometh on again of himself, but wandreth infinitely, and beats out himself with his own Inventions: As a way-faring Man, who hath once lost his Directions, turneth up and down, and knoweth not where to pitch; so are all Endeavours fruitless till God direct us. We are to follow God's Counsel, not the Counsel of the Ungodly; Psal. 73.24. Thou shalt guide me with thy Counsel, and after receive me to Glory. As a Clock runs at random, when the Ballance is once out. The Lord is willing to direct us; Psal. 25.8. Good and upright is the Lord; therefore will he teach Sinners in the way. He is too wise to be deceived, and too good to deceive. O Sinners! learn the upright Way. When we are weary of wandring, and willing to be directed, such as submit themselves to God, shall never want a Guide. Creatures cannot make us happy: such is the Restlesness of the Soul, that we must have shift and change. Envying one another, sheweth the narrowness of our Comforts. Gripes of Conscience spoil all; as Belshazzar in his Cups was afrighted with an Hand-writing upon the Wall. Says the young Man in the Gospel, Mat. 19.16. Good Master, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal Life? What lack I yet? saith the Moralist. In false Worship Men are unsatisfied. Micah 6.6. Wherewithal shall I come before the Lord? and bow my self before the High God? It is not a loose Profession of the Gospel that will make us happy: Mat. 11.29. Take my Yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in Heart, and ye shall find Rest for your Souls. Nothing can make us happy, but what is a full Relief from Sin and Misery. Here is Rest for our Souls, the Foundation is laid in Justification and Sanctification. Here is our Reconciliation with God, hereafter is our Advancement.
Vse 3. It is an Invitation to the Practice of Holiness. Blessedness is a great Motive, David begins the Book of Psalms with it, and Christ his Sermons; there is enough in it to allay the Sorrows of the present Life, and fill up the Desires of the Life to come. All would be blessed and happy, but we must take the right course; say as Christ's Hearers, Iohn 6.34. Lord, evermore give us this Bread. As Balaam, Numb. 23.10. Let me die the Death of the Righteous, and let my last End be like his. Be not content as Balaam with a Vision of Iacob's happy Seats, Numb. 24.5. How goodly are thy Tents, O Jacob! and thy Tabernacles, O Israel! As the Noble-man that saw the Plenty of Israel, but did not eat thereof, 2 Kings 7.20. And so it fell out unto him, for the People trod upon him in the Gate, and he died. The Damned at the last Day are Lookers on, but not Partakers of the Blessedness of the Righteous; Luke 13.28. There shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the Prophets in the Kingdom of God, and your your selves thrust out.
Vse 4. Exhortation to those that have an Interest in this blessed Hope; Behave your selves as those that are called thereunto; think of it often, discourse of it often, and live sutable to it.
1. Often meditate of the Happiness that is laid up for you, and warm your selves with the thoughts of it. The Mind ruminateth on Happiness. Your Minds should be there; Col. 3.2. Set your Affections on Things above, not on Things on the Earth.
2. Confer of it often. 1 Thess. 4.18. Comfort one another with these Words, against all the Changes and Dangers of this Life. Alas, how carnal and flat is our Discourse? He that is of the Earth, is earthy, and speaketh of the Earth, Joh. 3.31.
3. Live more sutable to it. 1 Thess. 2.11, 12. As you know, how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged you, as a Father doth his Children, that ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his Kingdom and Glory. Make Eternity your Scope: 2 Cor. 4.18. Looking not to the Things that are seen, but to the Things that are not seen, foreign. There should be a greater proportion between your Hopes and your Lives. Behave your selves as those that are interested in this blessed Hope; be not dejected with every Cross, nor overcome with every Bait and Temptation, nor live in a base and low manner; this is not becoming your Hopes. Show your Interest herein, by the Heavenliness and Courage of your Spirits.